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Penrose neighborhood conservation plan is now available in pdf file and at the Columbia pike library. Click Penrose Conservation PDF to go directly to the file. The neighborhood conversation plan consists of:
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[The email below was posted to the Penrose Listserv. With the permission of the author, have published it below. It contains a good description on why neighborhoods need a conservation plan, and what they mean.
--- Web site Manager]
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Greenfield [mailto:tomg01@bellatlantic.net]
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 6:07 PM
To: Penrose
Subject: [penrose] Explanation of the Neighborhood Conservation (NC) Program
To Penrose Neighbors,
The following email is to explain the Neighborhood Conservation (NC) Program, introduce the neighborhood NC representatives and discuss currently submitted projects. The NC program is the program that was used to fund the construction of the landscaped medians on S. 6th Street and the black Victorian style street lights found throughout the neighborhood.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION PROGRAM: The Arlington Neighborhood Conservation (NC) Program is a citizen driven program for funding curb, gutter, sidewalk, streetlight, and park improvements. The program has been in existence for over 35 years. To participate in the NC program, a neighborhood must submit a formal Neighborhood Conservation (NC) Plan, which is reviewed by the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Commission (NCAC), County staff and then approved by the Arlington County Board. The NC Plan is intended to document the vision of what improvements residents would like to see in their neighborhood. The original Penrose NC Plan was formally approved in the 1960’s. The NC program is funded through County bond issues every two years (with a small amount of General Operating funds added in this last budget year). Projects are approved for funding by the NCAC at two funding sessions that are held each year in June and December. The NCAC is made up of NC representatives (citizens) from each of the neighborhoods participating in the NC program. The NCAC uses a point system to rank projects as to which should be recommended to the County Board for funding. There are a number of criteria that go into the point system, such as whether the project is the neighborhood’s top priority, whether the project has been carried over from prior sessions, whether the neighborhood’s NC Plan has been updated in the last ten years, etc. You can find a more detailed explanation of the NC Program at http://www.co.arlington.va.us/CPHD/ONS/NC_Home.htm (Note there’s an underscore in the file name between NC and Home.htm).
THE STATE OF NC FUNDING AND PENROSE PROJECTS: The demand by neighborhoods for NC funds is FAR GREATER than the available dollars. On 11 October, the NCAC voted to limit each neighborhood to ONLY THREE PENDING PROJECTS at any one time. If a neighborhood had submitted more than three projects prior to 11 October, County staff will keep all projects on file but only work on the top three. Besides addressing the limited funding situation, this new policy is intended to lighten the burden for County staff who were dealing with a backlog of 97 projects county-wide, many of which would not be funded for years. The following are the projects that have been submitted for the Penrose neighborhood:
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ACTIONS: Before each of the semi-annual NCAC funding sessions, each neighborhood association is asked to state which of it’s three projects is the top priority project of the neighborhood for the upcoming funding session. The deadline for notifying the County on priorities is April 30th for the June NCAC funding session and October 31st for the December NCAC funding session. Additional ‘points’ are given to the top priority projects within the overall point system. The longstanding top priority project for Penrose has been curb/gutter and sidewalk for the 900/1000 block of S. Wayne St. which has been in the queue since 1998. Neighborhoods can switch their top priority projects prior to any funding session, but the best approach due to the point system, is to focus on one project until you get it funded before designating others.
NEW NC PROJECTS: County staff will no longer accept new projects from neighborhoods who have at least three projects unless the projects replaces one of the top three projects that the neighborhood has submitted.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION REPRESENTATIVES: Penrose has two NC representatives who represent the neighborhood on the NCAC and work with citizens on potential projects. The reps are Mike Osborne at 145 S. Barton St, email: mosborne@orbitworld.net Phone: 703 920-8916 and Tom Greenfield at 802 S. Barton St, email: tomg01@bellatlantic.net Phone: 703 486-8269. Mike is handling the update of the Penrose NC Plan and the neighborhood commemorative tree whereas Tom is working the neighborhood identification signs. Mike and Tom have been at this for many years, and both of them have served as presidents of the neighborhood, so if there is any new blood that wants to learn the NC ropes, they welcome your interest.
UPDATING OUR PENROSE NC PLAN: The Penrose NC Plan is long out of date. The plan was first approved in 1964? and is grossly out of date. Having an updated NC Plan garners the neighborhood more points for its projects. Mike is leading the update to the plan. Updating the plan is a group writing effort, and it will not be successful unless other residents offer to pitch in. If you are interested in seeing the NC plan update move along, please contact Mike to assist him in this effort.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMEMMORATIVE TREE: In honor of the 35th anniversary of the NC program, the County allocated funds so that each neighborhood would receive a commemorative Red bud tree. Penrose's tree is being located in Butler-Holmes Park. Mike Osborne is the neighborhood rep on this action.
NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTIFICATION SIGNS: Each neighborhood is entitled to obtain four neighborhood identifications signs (one large one and three small ones) through the NC Program. On 6 October, 2001 the Penrose Neighborhood Association voted to indicate to the County that Penrose wishes to have signs. Tom Greenfield is heading up the design committee to determine a set of designs and sign locations to propose to the association. If you are interested in participating on this committee, please contact Tom.
THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE CREATIVE: For those residents who are dedicated to seeing improvements on their blocks or in their vicinity, there may be opportunities through County programs other than the NC program. The County has a grab bag of smaller programs outside the NC program. Little no cost beautification efforts also help. For example, once upon a time the neighborhood regularly organized weeding and clean up of the nubs along S. 2nd Street. The County Department of Parks provided free mulch for this effort. If you are interested in points of contact for other County programs that may be applicable, please contact Mike or Tom. If you live north of S. 6th St and are interested in pursuing a project in the northern part of the neighborhood, please contact Mike. If you live south of S. 6th St and are interested in a project, contact Tom.
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